"Immediately after the Norman conquest," says Collins, "arose into powerand importance, more especially in the midland counties, the greatbaronial family of Basset," descended from Thurstan the Norman. [SirBernard Burke, Dormant, Abeyant, Forfeited and Extinct Peerages, Burke'sPeerage, Ltd., London, 1883, p. 26, Basset, Barons Basset, of Drayton]